Nudging has been around for quite a while and has proven effective in a variety of contexts. At its core, nudging is a concept from behavioral economics and psychology that subtly influences individuals toward specific choices, all while preserving their freedom of choice and without significantly altering economic incentives.
Building on this foundation, Nudge Plus expands the toolkit of behavioral public policy by introducing a reflective element – the "plus". This modification incorporates a moment of deliberation, either blended with or placed near the nudge, to encourage more thoughtful decision-making. Nudge Plus draws from recent work that merges quick, heuristic-driven decisions with slower, more deliberate thinking, emphasizing the nuanced interplay between these two cognitive processes.1 It aims to design prosocial interventions that respect individuals' autonomy while still guiding their choices. This approach is rooted in dual-systems theory, which challenges the traditional view of fast and slow thinking, offering a more subtle relationship between the two than commonly assumed in behavioral public policy.
A nudge that incorporates an element of reflection might at first seem to be a contradiction in terms. After all, the whole point of a nudge is that it happens automatically without much conscious thought on the part of the individual. The acknowledgment of low cognitive capacity to make fully rational choices is thought to show its superiority over other policy instruments, such as information campaigns, laws, and taxes.2 Nudge is supposed to work on fast and automatic type 1 processes, leaving the slow and reflective type 2 unengaged. Sunstein stress that the individual could reflect and agree with a nudge after its delivery rather than before or during, with most citizens approving of this approach to designing public policies.3
Nonetheless, recent work in behavioral public policy suggests that a nudge could become more effective and legitimate if it incorporated an element of self-awareness and internal deliberation. This approach, "nudge-plus," blends traditional nudging techniques with opportunities for deliberation, fostering long-term, meaningful, and sustainable behavior change. For example, a hybrid nudge–think strategy might pair a simple visual cue, like a color-coded "traffic light" nudge, with additional information that prompts reflection. This combination can improve the effectiveness of the nudge, especially for individuals who might overlook the visual cue alone. Applying this to energy conservation, providing users with reflective moments—such as details about the personal and environmental benefits of saving energy—can help internalize the value of these actions, encouraging lasting sustainable habits over short-term compliance.4
1 Banerjee, S., & John, P. (2021). Nudge Plus: Incorporating reflection into behavioral public policy. Behavioural Public Policy. Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/bpp.2020.8
2 Thaler, R. H., & Sunstein, C. R. (2009). Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness (Revised edition). Penguin Books.
3 Sunstein, C. (2016). The Ethics of Influence: Government in the Age of Behavioral Science. Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CBO9781316493021
4 Banerjee, S., & John, P. (2021). Nudge Plus: Incorporating reflection into behavioral public policy. Behavioural Public Policy. Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/bpp.2020.8